Nashik cop dies in road accident near Saptashrungi Gad temple
Synopsis
A speeding Maruti Ciaz on the Saptashrungi Gad pilgrimage route triggered a chain-reaction crash that killed Sub-Inspector Vijay Bansidhar Gaikwad, 57, and injured several police personnel and devotees. The driver remains at large as two police teams race to make an arrest.
Key Takeaways
Sub-Inspector Vijay Bansidhar Gaikwad , 57 , of Nashik Rural Police died on 18 October 2025 after a car rammed police barricades near Saptashrungi Gad .
A Maruti Ciaz first hit a motorcycle rider, veered onto the wrong side, struck an oncoming vehicle, and then ploughed into barricades — approximately 500 metres from the Nanduri-Abhona T-point.
Head Constable Sachin Raut suffered a fracture in his left leg; devotee Moreshwar Balu Patil , 52 , also sustained a left-leg fracture.
The injured are being treated at Magnum Heart Institute, Nashik ; Gaikwad's last rites will be held in Nashik city .
Two police teams have been formed to trace the driver, who remains at large.
Sub-Inspector Vijay Bansidhar Gaikwad of the Nashik Rural Police died on Sunday, 18 October 2025, after a speeding car ploughed into police barricades and personnel near Saptashrungi Gad in Nashik, Maharashtra, officials said. Several others — including fellow police personnel and visiting devotees — were injured in the multi-vehicle collision that unfolded during a heavy influx of pilgrims at the temple.
How the Accident Unfolded
According to the District Information Office, Nashik, police had been deployed at the Nanduri-Abhona T-point to manage traffic and crowd movement amid the high volume of devotees heading to the Saptashrungi Gad temple. A Maruti Ciaz car, travelling from the Nashik side, first struck a motorcycle rider near a speed breaker approximately 500 metres before the T-point. The impact caused the car to veer onto the wrong side of the road, where it collided with an oncoming vehicle before ramming into police barricades and hitting personnel on traffic duty.
Sub-Inspector Gaikwad's Injuries and Death
Gaikwad, 57, a resident of Nashik's Adgaon area, sustained severe injuries to his chin and both legs, as well as a fracture in his spinal column. He succumbed to his injuries while being transported to hospital. His colleagues described the Nashik Rural Police as being in a state of shock and mourning. His last rites are to be performed in Nashik city.
Other Injured Personnel and Devotees
Police Head Constable Sachin Raut sustained a fracture in his left leg. Among the devotees caught in the crash, Moreshwar Balu Patil, 52, a resident of Mahape, Mumbai, also suffered a fracture in his left leg. His wife Tejaswi Patil and another devotee, Gopal Eknath Sonawane, sustained minor injuries. The injured were first rushed to a hospital in Vani and subsequently shifted to Nashik for advanced treatment. Police personnel are currently receiving care at Magnum Heart Institute in Nashik.
Official Response and Investigation
The Superintendent of Police and the District Collector visited the hospital to enquire about the condition of the injured. Two police teams have been constituted to trace and apprehend the driver responsible for the accident, who had not been identified at the time of reporting. This comes amid concerns over road safety in pilgrimage zones, where high pedestrian and vehicle density routinely creates hazardous conditions, particularly during religious festivals.
Point of View
Raising questions about hit-and-run response protocols. Maharashtra's road fatality data repeatedly flags pilgrimage corridors as high-risk zones; yet comprehensive safety infrastructure — speed cameras, enforced vehicle checks, dedicated pedestrian channels — is rarely in place before tragedies occur. Accountability here extends beyond catching one driver.
NationPress
18 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Sub-Inspector Vijay Bansidhar Gaikwad?
Vijay Bansidhar Gaikwad was a 57-year-old Sub-Inspector with the Nashik Rural Police, resident of the Adgaon area in Nashik. He was on traffic duty near Saptashrungi Gad when the accident occurred and succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital.
What caused the road accident near Saptashrungi Gad?
A Maruti Ciaz car travelling from the Nashik side struck a motorcycle rider near a speed breaker about 500 metres before the Nanduri-Abhona T-point. The car then veered onto the wrong side, hit an oncoming vehicle, and rammed into police barricades, injuring personnel on duty.
Who else was injured in the Nashik road accident?
Police Head Constable Sachin Raut suffered a fracture in his left leg. Devotee Moreshwar Balu Patil, 52, of Mahape, Mumbai, also sustained a left-leg fracture, while his wife Tejaswi and Gopal Eknath Sonawane received minor injuries.
Has the driver responsible for the accident been arrested?
As of the latest reports, the driver had not been apprehended. Two police teams have been formed to trace and arrest the person responsible for the accident.
Where are the injured being treated?
The injured were initially taken to a hospital in Vani before being shifted to Nashik for further treatment. Police personnel are currently receiving care at Magnum Heart Institute in Nashik.
